**7. Method, material, and analysis**

#### **7.1 Action research approach in this study**

An action research process includes self-reflective cycles of questioning, gathering data, reflection and deciding the course of action [37]. The approaches are actionoriented to learn from experience and enable participants to learn from their experience, change directions and priorities for their research and introduce corrections repeatedly throughout the project [38]. A distinction from more traditional research is that action research is when researchers work with the researched to break down the differences between them, which is the approach for this study. In this study, the participants focused on activities in the initial cycles of our action research project, specifically the gathering of teacher's and children's experiences of well-being. The research in the study followed a typical action research process, including planning, action, observation, and reflection [47]. The identified target leading to action was viewed from perspectives, and group discussions were conducted involving the participants in the study. Warren et al. [40] state that teachers' beliefs, professional identities, and levels of expertise change through action research can be strengthened and changed by an action research approach. The identified target leading to action was viewed from diverse perspectives, and group discussions were conducted involving the participants in the study. Warren et al. [40] state that teachers' beliefs, professional identities, and levels of expertise change through action research can be strengthened and changed and that systematic reflection can improve their pedagogical content knowledge.

#### **7.2 Background and sample**

The overall study is a 3-year study with an action research approach named "The possibility of learning environments to offer long-term recovery of rest and pulseraising activity". It was initiated by four principals who lead one preschool each, and they all base the needs of their organisation on agreement with the preschool teachers. The project started in January 2022 and will end in December 2024. The study**'**s target group consists of four Swedish preschools where staff, principals, and children aged 4–5 were the informants. All pedagogical staff in this study are named preschool teachers, even if the presentation of each preschool shows that some are childminders. A preschool teacher from each of the four preschools was recruited as a co-researcher/process leader; in the text, they are called middle leaders [48]. They arranged actions with the other staff and the researcher and supervised their colleagues. Five children from each preschool, aged 4–5 years, participated as informants in the study. The preschools have de-identified names in the text and have been given fictitious names. The Fir Tree Preschool is a staff cooperative; the Oak Preschool is a non-profit association; The Cherry Tree Preschool and The Pear Tree Preschool are parent cooperatives.

#### **7.3 Data collection and analysis**

The empirical material comprises six process meetings between the researcher and the middle leader and two dialogical meetings between the researcher and principals from November 2022 to May 2023. Field notes and photos documented 10 observations. The staff interviewed the children during spring 2023, used cameras, and attempted to notice speech, body language and facial expressions during the actions by field notes. After moments of data collection, analysis was done together with the researcher and discussions of forthcoming action. The four middle leaders regularly discussed with the researcher to reflect on the action and process. The research has been carried out and analysed based on the three arrangements that practice architecture consists of and which are simultaneously in practice, according to Schatzki [43]. What is said, done, and related overlap, according to Kemmis et al. [46]. However, the analysis has refined these arrangements to create an understanding of the data material. Transcription, reading and re-reading the material and noting initial ideas was the first step. This process became important to be familiar with the data. After that, the collected data has undergone a content analysis [49]. By working with a highlighter, expressions in the text were marked with yellow, actions with green, and relations with pink, and then sorted based on which arrangement they fit into. Afterwards, statements were entered into a worktable where cultural-discursive, material-economic and socio-political arrangements constituted units of analysis. This moment included reviewing codes during the process; Initial codes were created and then added to themes. The culturally discursive arrangements that emerge in the analysis by sayings were phenomena and knowledge. The material-economic arrangements realised through activity and work were time, participation and structure. Finally, the socio-political arrangements that emerged in the analysis were a common goal and relations. The study complies with ethical requirements in Swedish research and has undergone an ethics review.
